Starting device for gas-operated motors.



J. M. CLARK, 3D. STARTING DEVICE FOR GAS OPERATED MOTORS.

APPLICATIdN FILED DEC.26. 1913.

Patented June 29, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60., PHOTO-THO. WASHINGTON, D. C.

- STARTING DEVICE FOR GAS-OPERATED MOTORS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M. CLARK, 3d, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, haveinvented a new and useful Starting Device for Gas-Operated Motors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in starting devices for motorsoperated by gas as a fuel.

The object of this invention is to provide a safe, reliable andeconomical starting device for motors operated by gas particularly asused in automobiles and motor cycles.

In carrying out this inventionthere is provided a gas motor equippedwith a starting device consisting of an operating lever, mainspring, twoor more gears, ratchets operated by the operating lever and to engagethe starting device with the motor, an automatic arrangement returningthe starting device to starting position after spinning the motor andmeans to prevent injury to the motor or starting device throughbackfiring of the motor.

The invention will be-fully understood from the following descriptiontaken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a side view of the starting device in astarting position, Fig. 2, is a side elevation of the starting devicewith the mainspring at its extreme tension and about to spin the motor,Fig. 3, is a side view of the starting device after the mainspring hascontracted and the motor has been spun, Fig. 4, is a sectional view ofthe gears, cam, ratchet engaging with the crankshaft of the motor,showing the relative position of the motor to the starting device whenpractical to mount the device to engage directly with the motor at thecrankshaft instead of spinning the motor through intermediate gearing.

Standards and means for supporting and attaching the device to the motorare not shown. The design of the standards and means for installingvarying with the design of the motor to which it is'attached.

In the drawings 35 shows part of the crankshaft of a motor with ratchet34 made fast thereto having teeth 33 on the face. A hand crank (36) (19)for spinning the motor by hand, having ratchet teeth 21 on the face toengage with teeth 33, 37 being the handle of the hand crank. Teeth 21being held disengaged from teeth 33 by spring Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed. December 26, 1813.

Patented June 29, 1915. Serial N 0. 808,905.

32 which spring also presses against gear 18 revolving on crank 19causing ratchet teeth 17 to engage teeth 33 when gear 18 is released bycam 16 made fast to gear 24; turnmg on spindle 22, gear 24 being in meshwith gear 18. Stud 29 being made fast to gear 24: and connected bysprings (26) (27) to trigger 25 at convenient specified places, trigger25 being pivoted at point 28 or other convenient point near point 28.Cam 16 is rounded outward at the points 11 and 30 away from the face ofgear 24 to permit of easy engagement and release of gear 18. Alsoattached to stud 29 is a connection 15 having at its opposite end fromstud 29 a mainspring 12 made fast, said mainspring being of any suitabledesign, either a compressing or expanding spring being used as isrequired according to the available space in which to install,preference being had for an expanding spiral spring although I do no?wish to be limited to this type of spring on y. 7

At a convenient place on or near the mainspring is a connection 11, acable 14 or other suitable means made fast to connection 11 ofsufiicient length to reach to the trigger 25 when mainspring 12 is atits extreme tension, said cable 14: being made fast to the trigger atthe trigger end of said cable. Also made fast to the mainspring 12 atthe end to which connection 11 is attached to spring 12, is a connectionalso attached to stud 8 located on ratchet wheel 6. The teeth 7 onratchet wheel 6 engaging with pawl 1 which prevents ratchet wheel 6 fromturning rearwardly and a pawl 2 attached to and operating with lever 3operated by hand or foot at point 1, said lever (3) (5) and ratchetwheel 6 turning upon a suitable shaft 45. The enlarged part of the leverbeing designated as 5 to present a good face for ratchet wheel to restagainst or lever 3 may turn upon the shaft allowing the ratchetwheel torest against the standard itself, 9 being the standard'supporting theratchet wheel 6 and relative parts.

I do not wish to be limited to attaching the deviceto the motor only asdescribed in the specification as motors of different manufacture varyin design. The gear 18 may transmit the power to the crankshaft 35through intermediate gearing, chains or other convenient means and notbe mounted in line with the axis of the crankshaft 35.

To operate this device and spin the motor,

the operator using the device as described in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, startswith the device in position as. illustrated in Fig. 1, pushing lever 3forward by hand or foot at 1 to a stop not shown that limits the lengthof the stroke, giving successive pushes bringing stud 8 into position asshown in Fig. 2, by means of pawl 2, pawl 4 holding ratchet wheel 6 inposition and preventing ratchet wheel 6 from turning rearward.

It will be seen that by the abo .ve operations the maximum tension has,been put upon mainspring 12, taking up the slack in connection 14: andcausing trigger 25 to move slightly from position 25 to position 25 inFig. 2 thus releasing stud 29 which permits mainspring 12 by means ofconnection 15 to pull stud 29, gear 2% and relative parts into positionas shown in Fig. 3, which is approximately one-half a turn of gear 24.As gear 24 starts to turn, cam 16 to which it is made fast releases gear18 at point 41 on cam 16 which gear 18 is in mesh with gear 24 allowinggear 18 to be pushed out of line with gear 24: by spring 32 and causingratchet teeth 17 to'engage ratchet teeth 33 turning ratchet 3d andrelative parts of the motor such as crankshaft 35, in the same directionas gear 18 until the device reaches position as shown in Fig 3, at whichtime cam 16 engages at point 30 with rim of gear 18 forcing gear 18 intoline with gear 24: which also releases ratchet 17 from teeth 33 allowingthe motor if started to continue to run independently of the startingdevice. A slight push on the lever 3 brings stud 8 past the center allowing spring 27 which has now a tension to bring stud 29 past the centerallowing spring 26 to exercise a pull upon stud 29 and bring stud 29 andrelative parts back into engagement with trigger 25 as shown in Fig. 1,which is the starting position when the starting of the motor with thestarting device is to be repeated.

From position as shown in Fig. 3, to position as shown in Fig. 1, thecam 16 presses against gear 18 keeping it from becoming engaged withmotor through ratchet teeth 17 I Should the motor backfire as motorssometimes do because of the spark being too far advanced and the motorconse quently starting in the opposite direction to which it is intendedto run and teeth 17 and 33 are engaged, the motor turns the mechanism ofthe device backward causing the stud 29 to strike against the roundedpoint 38 on trigger forcing trigger back slightly and allowing stud 29to engage with notch 39 which is the starting position of the gears andcam. The point 41 on cam 16 having engaged with gear 18 and disen-.

gaged teeth 17 from teeth 33 at approximately the same time that stud 29engaged with notch 39. This arrangement of the various parts preventingthe starting device from being injuredand from causing injury to themotor or operator of the device.

Should it be desired or necessary through any cause to spin the motor byhand in the usual manner that motors are spun withthe hand crank insteadof employing the startingdevice, the operator grasps the handle 37pushes against it causing 36 and 19 to press against: spring 32 bymeansof the flange 72 allowing teeth 21't0 engage with teeth 33 and byturning the crank 37, 36, 19 the motor is turned as when no startingdevice is used. I Crank 19 and relative parts being independent of thestarting device excepting as already described.

Spring 32 has the double function of holding crank 19 from becomingengaged with crankshaft 35. through relative. parts of each exceptingwhen desired and also.

causing gear 18 to become engaged with crankshaft 35. through theirrelative parts when gear 18 is released by cam 16.

What I claim is:

1. In a starting device for gas operated motors, an engine shaft, arotatablev gear, a ratchet wheel spaced therefrom, a stud on said gear,a pivoted member adaptedtoem gage the stud, springs connecting the studto the pivoted member, means connecting the gear andratchet wheel,including a coil spring, means for rotating the ratchet wheel to placesaid coil spring under tension, telescoping links connecting said coilspring and pivoted member whereby said stud is released from the pivotedmember when the spring has attained a predetermined tension, and meansoperated by the rotation of said gear wheel to engage and rotate saidengine shaft.

2. In a starting device for gas operated motors, in combination with anengine shaft, a rotatable gear wheel, a stud and cam on one facethereof, a pivoted member adapted tov engage said stud, a ratchet spacedfrom said gear wheel, means connecting said ratchet and gear including acoil spring, a pawl for operating the ratchet to place the spring undertension, a; connection from said spring to the pivoted member todisengage the pivoted member from the stud after the spring has reacheda predetermined tension, slidable means: connecting the rotatable L gearto the engine shaft, the engagement and disengagement of said lastmentioned means with said shaft being controlled by said cam,

3. In a starting device for gas operated motors, an engine shaft havinga ratchet clutch member, a cranking'shaft in longi-, tudinal alinementwith said engine shaft, a gear wheel slidable on said cranking shafthaving a ratchet adapted to engage said clutch member, a springtendingrto engage.

and ratchet Wheel, including a coil spring,

a pawl for operating said ratchet Wheel to place said coil spring undertension, and means for releasing the coil spring at a predeterminedtension whereby the second mentioned gear is rotated and the slidablegear is permitted to engage With and is disengaged from the engineshaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of tWoWitnesses.

JAMES M. CLARK, 3D.

Witnesses:

GEO. P. URBAN, CHARLES PEARSON, Jr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioners-of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

